Vietnam Opens Door to Licensed Crypto Exchanges in 2026

Crypto News Regulation

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: January 22, 2026

Key Takeaways

Vietnam accepts applications for digital asset exchange licenses under a new pilot program that began on January 20;
Firms must be based in Vietnam with 10 trillion dong in capital; foreign ownership cannot exceed 49%;
No licenses are issued yet, but major banks and securities firms plan to apply.

Stop overpaying - start transferring money with Ogvio. Sign up, invite friends & grab Rewards now! 🎁

Vietnam Opens Door to Licensed Crypto Exchanges in 2026

BITDEGREE IN YOUR SOCIAL FEED

Vietnam has started accepting applications for regulated digital asset exchange licenses on January 20, 2026.

This step launches a pilot program coordinated by the Ministry of Finance and the State Securities Commission, which builds on the Law on the Digital Technology Industry, enacted on January 1, 2026.

The licensing framework is based on Resolution No. 05/2025/NQ‑CP, adopted in September 2025. It establishes a controlled five-year trial period to monitor and develop rules for digital asset exchanges.

What is Balancer in Crypto? Beginner Friendly BAL Explainer

Did you know?

Want to get smarter & wealthier with crypto?

Subscribe - We publish new crypto explainer videos every week!

Entities wishing to participate must be legally established in Vietnam and fulfill certain requirements. These organizations need at least 10 trillion dong in paid-in capital, which is roughly $380 million.

In addition, institutional investors must own at least 65% of the voting shares, while foreign ownership is limited to 49%.

No platform has finished the registration or obtained approval at this stage. Several well-known domestic banks and security firms, including SSI Securities, VIX Securities, Military Bank, Techcombank, and VPBank, have stated their intent to apply for licenses when the opportunity becomes available.

Applicants must follow procedures outlined in Decision No. 96, which covers how to apply, modify, or cancel a license. If all documents are in order, it could take about 30 days for a submission to be processed.

Recently, Hong Kong has promoted a “responsible and sustainable” approach to digital asset regulation at the World Economic Forum in Davos. What did Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po say? Read the full story.